Cultivator



T. lvl. HUGHES.

CULTIVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED UG.25| 1920.

Patented May 2, 1922.

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QQ' b s i O 0 Qc QTLIWEughe/ENTOR ATTORNEY T. M. HUGHES.

CULTIVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 25, 1920. 1,414,880. Patented May 2 1922.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2- INVENTOR ATTORNEY mgm T. Nl. HUGHES.

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APPLICATION FILED AUG.25, 1920. 1,414,880. Patented May 2, 1922.

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T. IVI. HUGHES.

CULTIVATOR.v

APPLICATION FILED AuG.25. 1920.

Patented May 2,1922;v

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4I INVENTOR .Y @age/2m ATTORNEY T. M. HUGHES.

v cuLTxvAToR. APPLICATION FILED AUG-25| i920- mamay May 2, 1922.

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@ETTTTTT Jil. Hugh Smm WITNBS:

CULTIVATORL.

Specification of Lettersatent.

Patented May 2, 19522.

Application filed August 25, 1920. Serial No. I105,795.

To all whom t may concern.

Be it known that I, THOMAS M. HUGHES,

a'citizen of the United States, residing atV Carlisle, in' the county ofClaiborne and StateY ofgMississippi, have invented new and useful Imrove'ments' in Cultivators, of which the fol owingI is a specification.

This' invention relates to improvements in agricultural vmachines andhas for anobject the provision of a. machine'which is capable of.cultivating around all sides of a plant when travelling along arowwithoutl danger ofin'jury tothe plants.

Another object is the provision of ai cultivator, which in additiontoperforming the work of an ordinary cultivator, upon each side of a rowof plants, will'hoe or cultivate between the plants so that the entiresurface upon all sides of the plant will be thoroughly broken up.

Another object is the provision of a cultivator which may be drawn by apair of horses tostraddle a row of plants, willispace the plants, hoethe'drilll clean and work the entire row at one operation, thatfis, by asingle passage down the row. The cultivator is especially useful ingrowing cotton, which is drilled in a row, as the machine will cut awaythe plants at intervals and properly space the plants remaining, thespacing being capable of regulation as desired. It may also be used inthe cultivation of crops which are planted at spaced intervalsA along arow, as the hoemay be regulated to operate at the proper time tocultivate only the spaces between the' plants.

Another object is the provision of a cultivator which includes aplurality of movable. hoes or shovels, adaptedV to enter the ground atintervals, means being provided whereby these intervals may be varied toadjustthecultivator to various conditions.

Other objects and advantagesof'the invention will appear as thefollowing description is' read in connection with the accompanyingdrawings.

In the drawings Figure l is a side elevation of the cultiv'atorshowingthe hoes in normal? or lowered position.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the same.

Figure 3 is a central longitudinal sectional view.

Figure- 4.: is a transverse section taken on the line with. the pivotalmounting` of the Figure 5V is a similar view taken on the linefwith the.drive shaft .or'axleV Figure' 6 is a detailview showingone of the hoesinraised position.

Figure 7 isa similar view of one of the cam disks;

Figure 8- isa'sectional'view showingfthe ratchet. mechanism for vlockingthe traction wheels to the axle.

' Referring Ito the drawings in detail, wherein like characters ofreference denote. corresponding parts, the machine comprises amaincultivator beam` 10 which issup-- ported at its forward end rby an' axle11, mounted for rotation in a bearing 1Q. The beam is also provided.with a suitable clevis. 13 for thefattachment of draft animals, themachine being designed to-straddle therow to be'cultivated withan'animal upon either.`

side'ofthe row. Mounted upon'eaeh end of the axle 11 is a combined.supporting and traction wheel 14. These-wheels :areeapable ofrotation-upon the axle whenthe'machine is moved rearward, but when.moving in a forward direction, the wheels` are locked to the axle by.ratchet mechanism 15 which includes .internal ratchet teeth carried. by.

the wheel hubs and spring actuated: dogs carried by the axle.

Mounted upon the rear. end of the main cultivator rbeamA 10 areV springcultivator arms 1.6, thesaid arms beingl pivotally secured to parallelbars 17 disposed upon each. side ofl the beam` and' hav-ing their innerends pivotally connected tozsaid beam. By this means the cultivator armsupon each side of the beam may be independently 'adjusted for depth andheld in adjusted posi-- tion by means of a hook shaped rod 18, which hasone end pivotally secured to one ofthe parallel bars 17 and its oppositeend engagedin: any one of a number of perforations provided inl a plate19 which extends rearwardly fromr the main cultivator beam. The' lowerend: of the-spring cultivator arms 16' are provided with teeth S20 whichare pia/'otailly connected to the said armsV so that they may be rotatedto present either pointed end for entrance into; the: ground. Thermaincultivator beam 10 is further provided with handles 21 which aresuitably secured: and braced to the beam.

By means of the cultivator teeth jzust de.n scribed., the plants may becultivated longitudinally upon eachv sidey of theV row and in order toprotect the: young plants and pref vent them from being covered by theearth, there is secures to the beam l0 spaced runners or fenders 22which are disposed longitudinally of the beam beneath the latter andpass along either side ot the row. rlhese fenders are detachablyconnected to the beam to permit of their removal when desired.

One or" the particular points of novelty of the invention resides in theprovision of means for cultivating. the plants in front ot and behindthe latter in the direction of travel or1 the machine without injury tothe plants. For this purpose there is provided upon each side ot themain cultivator beam a hoe beam 23. rlhis last mentioned beam is mountedin a cylindrical bearing 24 and is capable of rotation therein, whilethe bearing is mounted for pivotal movement upon a stub shaft 23 whichprojects laterallyT from the side of the beam l0. Connected to each ofthe cylindrical bearings 2e is an arm 26, while pivotally connected tothis arm is one end of a rod 27. The other end of this rod is mountedfor sliding movement in a bearing provided in a cross bar 2S whichextends transversely of the handles 2l. Surrounding each of the rods 28and interposed between a shoulder in front of said rods and the crossbar 28 is a coiled spring 29 which acts to torce the rod outwardly or ina direction toward the front end of the machine.

rlhe rear end of the hoe beam 23 has pivotally and adjustably connectedthereto an arm 30, whose lower end carries a hoe or shovel blade 3l.This hoe or shovel blade is removably secured to the arm 30 so as topermit of the use of a blade which is adapted for the worlr beingperformed. By adjusting the arms 30 upon their pivots, the blades 31will enter the soil to a greater or less extent and thus provide foreither shallow or deep cultivation.

Removably secured upon the axle li upon opposite sides of the maincultivator beam l0 is a cam 32, the latter being in the form orn a diskand being provided with one or more notches or depressions 33 around itsperiphery, while the forward ends ot the hoe beams 23 are provided withrollers 34 which travel over the peripheries of the cams 32 and areadapted to enter the depressions 33 under the action ol: the springs 29,whereupon the hoe blades 3l will be raised out oit engagement with theground. By this' means the hoe beams are rocked upon their pivots andthe blades 31 alternately raised and lowered. One of the hoe beams 23 islonger than the other so as to position one blade 31 in advance of theother. rlhis provides for cultivating the area between the plants atboth the front and rear thereof in the direction of travel of themachine. The beams 23 are arranged as stated upon op Leie-,eso

posite sides ot the main cultivator beam l@ and in order to bring theshovels in position beneath the main cultivator beam and in a line withthe plants being cultivated, the said beams 23 are each provided with anin wardly extending arm 35, whose inner ends are pivotally connected tothe main cultivator beam, so that as the shovels are lowered duc to therollers 34 leaving the depressions 33 in the cams, the hoe beams 23 willbe rotated within. the cylindrical bearings through the pivotalconnection of the arms 35 and thus move the blades inward beneath themain cultivator beam l0. ris the rollers 3e enter the depressions 33 ofthe cams, this movement will be reversed, that is, the shovels will riseand move laterally outward so as to prevent injury to the plants.

For the purpose of removably securing the cams 32 upon the axle il, thesaid cams are provided with a slot 36 which engages over the axle, whilemounted fast upon the axle are spaced collars 37. rlhese collars areprovided with openings which register with similar openings in the cams3l to permit of the passage or' suitable fastening devices 39. Thecollars 37 of one oit the cams, for example, the cam upon the right ofthe main cultivator beam are secured upon the axle ll through the mediumof set screws 39 so that the depression in the cams 32 may be relativelyadjusted and the hoes operated at relatively ditlerent times.

ln order to iroperly regulate the machine so that the hoes will operateat the proper point without injury to the plants, each of the cams 32are provided upon their opposed faces with ratchet teeth l0, the latterbeing preferably arranged within the plane of the 'face ot' the disks.Mounted for sliding movement in bearings ell carried by the maincultivator beam i() is a rod 4t2. One end of this rod has pivotallysecured thereto as indicated at d3, arms del. The outer ends of thesearms provide dogs or engagement with the ratchet teeth Ll0, while theirinner ends are connected by a threaded rod 4 5 which passes throughtherod 412 and the ends of the arms 44. Positioned upon this rod l5 andupon opposite sides of the rod 4:2 are springs e3 which to force theends of the arms apart and into yielding engagement with the ratchetteeth 40. An adjust-- ing nut l? positioned upon each end or the rod 45serving` to limit the outward movement of the arms all. 'lhe oppositeend of the rod 42 has pivotally secured thereto an operating ever i8which is mounted for pivotal movement upon a bracket i9 carried by themain cultivator beam l0. The lever 48 carries a spring actuated dog 50which engages a notch 51 in the bracket 49.

By moving the lever i8 backward and forward upon its pivot, thepositions of the cams 32 may be adjusted so'as to properly lOO llO

position the hoes with respect to the plants. By this means the hoes maybe caused to enter the soil at the same point when the cultivation ofthe row is repeated. To regulate the space between the intervals ofoperation of the hoes, other disks or cams 32 may be substituted so thatthe hoes will engage the ground at more or less frequent intervals.

The invention is susceptible of various changes in its form, proportionsand minor details of construction and the right is herein reserved tomake such changes as properly fall within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having described the invention what is claimed is 1. A cultivatorembodying a wheel supported machine, a hoe located upon opposite sidesofthe longitudinal center of the machine, automatically operated meansfor raising and lowering the hoes longitudinally of the machine atspaced intervals during the travel of the machine and means for movingthe hoes laterally during their raising and lowering operation.

2. A cultivator embodying a wheel supported machine, a hoe located uponopposite sides of the longitudinal center of the machine, automaticallyoperated means Jlor raising and lowering the hoes longitudinally of themachine at spaced intervals during the travel of the machine, means formoving the hoes laterally during their longitudinally raising andlowering operation and means whereby the hoes will be alternatelyoperated.

3. A cultivator embodying a wheel supported machine, a pivotally mountedspring actuated bearing located upon opposite sides of the longitudinalcenter of the machine, a hoe mounted in each of said bearings,automatically operated means for moving the bearings upon their pivotsto raise and lower the hoe at spaced intervals during the travel of themachine and means for moving the hoes laterally during their raising andlowering operation.

4. A cultivator embodying a wheel supported machine, a pivotally mountedcylindrical bearing located upon each side of the longitudinal center ofthe machine, a hoe mounted in each of said bearings, means tor rockingthe bearings upon their pivots at spaced intervals during the travel ofthe machine to raise and lower the hoes and means for connecting thehoes to the frame whereby a lateral movement will be imparted to saidhoes during their raising and lowering operation.

5. A cultivator embodying a wheel supported machine, a hoe located uponopposite sides of the longitudinal center ot the machine, a notched diskrotatably mounted upon each side of the machine and engageable with thehoes for raising and lowering the latter at spaced intervals during thetravel of the machine and means for moving the hoes laterally duringtheir raising and lowering operation.

6. vA cultivator embodying a wheel sup'- ported machine, a hoe locatedupon opposite sides of the longitudinal center of the machine, a camrotatable upon each side of the machine and engageable with the hoes forraising and lowering the latter at spaced intervals during the travel ofthe machine, means whereby the cams may be adjusted to preventsimultaneous raising and lowering of the hoes and means for moving thehoes laterally during their raising and lowering operation.

7. A cultivator embodying a wheel supported machine, a hoe located uponopposite sides of the longitudinal center of the machine, automaticallyoperated means for raising and lowering the hoes at spaced intervalsduring the travel of the machine, means for moving the hoes laterallyduring their raising and lowering operation and means for adjusting thehoe operating means to properly time their operation.

8. A cultivator embodying a wheel supported machine, a hoe located uponopposite sides of the longitudinal center of the machine, automaticallyoperated means for raising and lowering the hoes at spaced intervalsduring the travel of the machine, means for moving the hoes laterallyduring their raising and lowering operation and an adjustable ratchetfor regula-ting the hoe operating means to properly time theiroperation.

9. A cultivator embodying a wheel supported machine, a hoe located uponopposite sides of the longitudinal center of the machine, automaticallyoperated cams for raising and lowering the hoes at spaced intervalsduring the travel of the machine, ratchet mechanism located between thecams for rotating the latter and means extending to within convenientreach of the operator for operating the ratchet mechanism to adjust thecams.

l0. A cultivator embodying a. wheel supported machine, a hoe locatedupon opposite sides of the longitudinal center of the machine,automatically operated means for raising and lowering the hoes at spacedintervals during the travel of the machine, links connecting the hoeswith the machine for moving the hoes laterally during their raising andlowering operation and cultivator teeth located at the rear of the hoes.

In testimony whereof 1 aflix my signature.

THOMAS M. HUGHES.

